by J. K Harper
Finally, the Pack Alpha spoke.
“Caleb Bardou, Black Mesa Wolf Pack Guardian,” he said in formal tones, “you made a serious error in judgment when you set off alone with intent to terminate the lives of those wolves. You defied direct orders, which were to bring any such wolves to myself or to the alpha of the Silver Mountain Pack. If you had actually killed one or more of them, I would have little choice but to hold a tribunal, in which case it would be almost certain you would be expelled from this Pack.”
The room swayed a little bit. Caleb managed to keep his stance stiff and straight.
“As you did not actually kill either one, there is no need for an official regional tribunal. Your punishment is solely up to me.”
The alpha took a deep breath. Caleb steeled himself for whatever was about to come.
“Caleb Bardou, you are relieved of your Guardian duties effective immediately. What have you to say in response to this justice?”
The traditional words hung in the room, their echo seeming loud as a gunshot.
Mouth suddenly dry, Caleb had to try a few times before he could push his words out. “I accept your justice, sir.” His raspy voice sounded weak. Awesome. “And—I behaved like a dumbass. They're the ones who played me, aren't they.” This last part was a sudden, bitter revelation. “I earned this justice. But I sure as hell admit I'd probably do it again, if it meant saving Ree from anyone who wanted to hurt her. Or if it meant protecting this Pack.”
Channing Bardou sighed before pushing back his chair and standing up. Coming to the front of his desk, he leaned against it, arms crossed, and slowly shook his head at Caleb.
“You've always relied on your physical strengths and your battle acumen,” he said. A sudden smile curved his mouth up. “You did learn a lot reading all those books of Kurt's, didn't you?”
Despite the leaden feeling in each of his limbs, Caleb nodded.
“He knew just how to direct your youthful energies. He always was a brilliant strategist himself.”
Caleb filed away that interesting tidbit for more examination another day.
“Your battle knowledge is exceptional,” the alpha went on. “However, you do have other strengths, Caleb. This will be an opportunity for you to discover what those strengths are.”
“By doing what?” Caleb asked. He tried to keep his voice from barking, but now that the mood in the room was less formal, he couldn't contain it. Right. Because he was impetuous.
“By being forced to rely on other things than simply your paws, jaws, and claws.” The alpha smiled, but there was no mockery in it.
Caleb nodded grimly. His mantra had never been secret, since he'd announced it to anyone who would listen when he was about twelve or so. All the same, he suddenly felt very vulnerable. It was like being naked in a pit full of viper snakes and no way out. Except, apparently, up.
His father stood suddenly and reached forward to pull Caleb into a hug. Hugging among shifters was fairly common, touch in general was, but signs of affection from the alpha were more rare. Startled, Caleb stiffened at first before relaxing slightly. His father released him and stepped back, although he kept a hand on Caleb's shoulder.
“You are far stronger than you think,” his alpha said to him, his serious voice etching the words into Caleb's memory. “In ways you do not believe. Despite your very ill thought-out choice, this result is the best thing that could happen to you. Well,” and now the skin around the alpha's eyes crinkled as he smiled, “except perhaps a certain pretty wolf who has been keeping your company. I suspect she is also an extremely wonderful happening in your life. The right woman usually is.”
“Uh,” Caleb said, wondering if the alpha had been taking lessons in touchy-feely conversational topics from his mate. “Yeah.”
“You will figure this out, Caleb. Especially with her by your side. Now,” the alpha said, voice brisk. “You may go. I have other things to attend to. I suspect your wounds might need some treating,” he added, nodding toward Caleb's ribs. “I'm sure your mother will be free now.”
“Now?” Caleb asked, puzzled.
“She came to tend to Luke. He was rather badly injured by his brother.” Ice cascaded through Alpha's voice.
“I see,” was all Caleb could make himself say. Yes, Luke had shown up there by his own choice—but Caleb had been the one to text him, goading him to come. He blew out a breath of frustration at himself, then grimaced when his ribs protested.
“Go,” his alpha ordered. “I will always be here when you need to discuss anything,” he added.
Caleb nodded, then turned and walked out, trying to hold his head high. He didn't know who the hell he was if he wasn't a Guardian, but Alpha was right.
With Rielle at his side, he'd have a damned good shot at finding out.
Epilogue
Two weeks later
Rielle breathed in the soft smell of the pine tree right by her face. Scents of butterscotch and vanilla tickled her nose. Early evening air blissfully cooled by a recent storm slipped over the bare skin on her upper arms. Sighing in utter contentment, she rolled over to face her love.
Flat on his back, arms outstretched over his head, Caleb looked the picture of peace as well. The tough cast to his face seemed smoothed out. His entire body exuded a relaxation she was still getting used to.
Despite his closed eyes, he seemed to sense her staring at him. A smile stole over his mouth, finally broadening into a playful word. “What? I know you're looking at me. I can feel your eyes burning holes through my flesh.”
Rielle swatted at him with gentle fingers. He caught her hand and drew it to his lips. His kisses on the sensitive pads of her fingers sent thrills rioting throughout her nerve endings. She wondered if it were possible to be short circuited just from his touch.
“I'm just appreciating your presence again. Your presence here at all.” As usual, the second she thought of how close he'd come to getting himself banished from her life forever, her eyes welled up.
He seemed to sense that. Opening his own eyes, he turned his blue gaze on her. As soon as he saw her tears, his face crumpled into that concerned look he got around her sometimes.
“Aw, Ree. Don't. I'm here. I was an idiot. I won't do it again.”
“We're working on making sure you won't do it again,” she corrected, stroking his face with the hand there and wiping her eyes with her other.
“Yeah.”
The rogue threat still rumbled like an ominous thundercloud over the entire Pack. Rielle knew major preparation for some sort of response to it once and for all was in the works. She also knew the shape of that response intrigued Caleb. Rather, it half killed him to not be involved right now. Picking up on mere bits and pieces of a growing plan to forever squash the rogue threat was hard for him to accept as a regular member of the Pack.
But Caleb Bardou was still essential to the Pack. She knew that, and she knew his role would still be strong. In fact, she wasn't entirely certain he wouldn't one day again be a Guardian. The Alpha worked in mysterious ways, but they were ways that always ultimately meant the best possible outcome for the Pack. Not to mention his highly calculated chess moves were also about fifteen steps ahead of anything anyone in the Pack could ever predict. She was sure he had a master plan for Caleb's future already in place. Caleb had a lot to learn from his outright defiance of Alpha's orders, and learn he would. Alpha had made certain of that. After Caleb had more time to reflect on everything, though, Rielle suspected he was going to be an even more amazing wolf than he already was. She was more than thrilled to be at his side every step of the way.
Together. Both of us learning, together, her wolf thought in a quiet, knowing way tinged with pure happiness. She sent an image of Caleb and Rielle in wolf form, together learning what they needed in order to come fully into themselves.
Yes, indeed.
Caleb half rolled onto his side and propped himself up on one elbow. Looking down at her, he seemed so big, so imposing. So completely
protective. Rielle loved it.
The past two weeks had been almost more tumultuous than the days leading up to Caleb's being stripped of his role as a Pack Guardian. He'd spent a lot of time in the den's gym. She saw him slamming the bright red boxing bag with such force it ruptured. He'd wake up in the middle of the night, growling from a dream, and she would soothe him in her newly favorite way. Sometimes, though, he'd leave the warm bed and go for a run alone around the property, blowing off the steam he had built up from the abrupt lack of direction in his life. She knew he was terrified. Yet he was also slowly coming closer to the realization the Alpha had been right. There was so much more to Caleb than only the fighter eager to answer everything with his fists. She'd known that. It was up to him to start to understand it as well, though.
She thought she might be a small part of his changing view on who he was.
Her wolf sent a pleased image of Rielle hunting with Caleb. Mates, stalking side by side. Rielle smiled. No matter what, her place was with him, and his place was with her. She knew she anchored him right now. Her heart swelled with the crazy, wild joy of the knowledge that he loved her.
“Look.” She traced the line of his jaw. “I was thinking about something we might do.”
“Oh yeah?” He dropped a kiss onto the tip of her nose. “Something fun?”
“Mm-hmm,” she answered. “It's something I just learned the other day.”
“What's that?” His interest increased when she got to her feet and pulled him up after her.
“I'll show you inside. But it goes something like this.” She stood on her tiptoes to whisper into her mate's ear the extremely naughty, amazingly fun thing he'd taught her to do the other night.
“Oh, yeah,” he said, face brightening considerably while that predatory gleam came into his eye. “I like that one a hell of a lot.”
Suddenly catching her up in his arms, he carried her, laughing and playfully pretending to smack him, into the house and to their bed. Exactly where she wanted to be, no matter what the future held for them both.
* * *
Turn the page to read Book 4, Wild Wolf!
Wild Wolf
For everyone who needs some wild in their lives
1
Tate inclined his head at the pretty young thing, who looked back at him with a coquettish expression on her face. Their gazes held for a moment, and Tate felt the connection between them, bewitching and ancient. Keeping his movements quiet and gentle, he took one small step toward her, then another. Slowly, he extended his hand toward her in the universal gesture of friendship.
With a sudden whinnying snort, the gorgeous filly tossed her head, kicked her heels up at him, and left him choking on dust as she galloped to the far end of the corral, bucking and farting the whole way. Once at the other end, she stood with her butt defiantly pointed at him.
Clearly, he'd charmed her.
Coughing and waving away the dust, Tate blew out his own snort of exasperation. He'd been rushing. Trying to impress new clients who had plenty of horses and deep pockets. He knew better. No female in the world liked to be hurried. They all wanted finessing and sweet talk. Even if they were a female of the equine persuasion. In fact, sometimes especially then. He'd built his horse training career based on that bone-deep knowledge. Today, he'd apparently forgotten his own rules. Love on those girls, whisper sweet nothings into their fuzzy ears, show them with his precise body language that they were queens but he was definitely king, and after the first training session he usually had them following him around as docile as a sweet, loyal pup. This one, though, was going to demand more proof he was truly worthy of being her leader.
Tate sighed. He definitely was out of practice with the ladies.
“You losing your touch, bro? Because I've seen 70-year-old guys with better moves than yours.” His brother Caleb lightly punched Tate's arm, shoving him off balance.
“Just means this one will be a challenge,” Tate replied, good-naturedly ignoring his pugnacious brother's joking insult. “Each horse teaches me something new.” Tate kept his eyes on the filly, who had both ears cocked back at them, listening. The breeze rushed by again, swirling another quick cloud of golden leaves onto the ground near his booted feet. Being mid-October, fall was literally landing in southwestern Colorado. “And I might have jumped the gun a little too soon,” he admitted. He slid his eyes toward the owners' house, a monstrous thing several hundred yards away from the horse barn. No sign of movement, and his sensitive shifter nose didn't catch a whiff of them outside. They hadn't noticed his little gaffe with their very expensive reining horse prospect.
“Never jump the gun with the girls,” Caleb advised him, tone utterly somber. “Total recipe for disaster. Take it slow. Best approach ever.”
“Right,” Tate said. He didn't bother saying that was his usual method, whether with a horse or a woman. Between the overwhelming joy and lust each of his siblings had gone through as they recently discovered their mates, Tate had felt like he was stuck in some hormonally-powered washing machine that banged him around each time he was near one of them in their happily besotted states. Every time he saw the formerly haunted Lily, she glowed. Whenever he ran into the usually reserved Rafe, his smile was content as a cat with cream. Now Caleb. His rough-and-tumble younger brother, the one who charged through life like that famous bull smashing up a china shop full of very breakable dishware, had fallen head over heels in love with a gentle, sensitive mate who'd somehow fallen right back for his dubious charms.
Tate was happy for them, of course. But it still made him slightly crazy. They walked around exuding so much bliss and spontaneous smiling, it about made a wolf a nervous wreck. Especially a single wolf who was perfectly fine with his life being that way. Uncomplicated and straightforward. No muss, no fuss. Easy and simple, just the way Tate preferred it. Not that he was opposed to a mate. But why rush into things?
His wolf rumbled with approval deep inside. Even so, the familiar deep sense of rudderless drifting nagged quietly at him. With a practiced flick of his thoughts, he banished it and grinned at his brother. Time to move on.
“You coming with me to Denver?” Some of Tate's favorite clients had taken such a shine to him they'd been recommending him to all their high society friends in the Western horse world, such as the people who owned this place about an hour southwest of Tate's home at the Black Mesa den. They'd also recommended him to friends of theirs near Denver. He flew there tomorrow morning, where a private car would pick him up and transport him to Evergreen, an insanely pricey horse enclave outside the city. There he would meet his insanely well-heeled new clients and see what they wanted done with their insanely pricey horses. He would do it depending on the actual needs of the horses, get the privilege of working with astounding animals during his weekend there, and collect a fat check at the end of it, some of which he would enjoy spending in the big city before he came back home.
It was a tough life, but someone had to live it.
Caleb shook his head, that goofy look slipping over it again. Tate rolled his eyes, which luckily were shielded by sunglasses.
“Nope. Got big plans for me and Ree this weekend. I'm taking her over the mountain to see the fall colors, then I booked a room for us at the hot springs resort.” Satisfaction rippled through his voice. “She's going to love it.”
Tate couldn't help himself this time. He groaned with theatrical alarm.
“You're such a goner. She's got you whipped pretty good.”
“Yup. She sure does,” Caleb said cheerfully, sounding not remotely concerned about it. “And I'm a better man for it.”
Tate huffed out a sigh. “Fine. At least I can head out of town on my own now. That rule of three thing got old, and fast.”
Caleb's expression darkened and Tate silently smacked himself upside the head. His wolf lowered his tail a bit and whined with regret. The agitating rogue threat had forced pack members to travel everywhere in groups of three for their safety. That very r
ule had helped get Caleb into some serious hot water—serious enough he'd been stripped of his Guardian duties.
If Tate could, he'd switch with his brother in a heartbeat. Tate had nothing but loyalty to his pack. Upholding the family tradition of becoming a Guardian had seemed the obvious path to him when he was a teenager. Despite that, his heart was never really in it. He'd come to realize he would much prefer to spend his life training horses, hanging out with sweet girls in town from time to time, and maybe being an on-call Guardian during tougher times. Simple, fun, and low stress.
Of course, there was no such thing as an on-call Guardian. Especially right now, with crazed rogues and an even crazier pack from Canada apparently stirring up some sort of war with all the North American wolf packs. For now, Tate Bardou was a Guardian for the Black Mesa Pack, regardless of his heart's deepest desire. And he would never let his pack down.
“It was necessary for the safety of the Pack,” Caleb said. His clipped response sounded automatic.
“It also got in the way of my training schedule,” Tate said, shrugging. The rule-of-three injunction recently had been lifted, but only for Guardians. The rogues had been suspiciously quiet since their last violent encounter with the Black Mesa Pack. No one had caught a single whiff of them for three months. Alpha still wanted all other pack members to obey the group travel rule, but he now allowed Guardians to travel alone, although it seemed like they had to fill out forms in triplicate stating their exact destinations and modes of transportation.
Despite the hassle, the reasons for which he understood, Tate had jumped at the chance to be able to train again without having an embarrassing entourage of Pack members with him—ones he had to pass off as apprentices to his slightly bemused clients. Today, Caleb had joined Tate merely as a cover up for Caleb's true mission: buying his mate some sexy present in the nearby town stores. Tate refused to know any more details than that, instead pretending to hurl when Caleb got that ooey-gooey look again as he started to describe the gift.